In the 2023 NWSL draft, California high school forward Alyssa Thompson took first overall pick for Angel City FC thanks to a series of wild trades made in the days leading up to the draft. The Los Angeles native, just 18, is expected to make his contribution immediately and has unlimited potential if Angel City are able to develop Thompson well. In a normal draft, it would have been the wildest thing for a high school kid to pick first overall, but in this 2023 NWSL draft, that was anything but normal.
Duke star forward Michelle Cooper went for 2nd while the first defender on the board was Florida State’s Emily Madril, who finished 3rd overall with the Orlando Pride.
With a record 12 trades during the draft, the Washington Spirit was able to take control of the draft in the third round after the North Carolina Courage used its draft capital to amass four first-rounders. There are many ways to build a roster in the NWSL, but the draft, especially this one, has talent up and down. With COVID allowing players a fifth year of eligibility and, in some cases, transfers to other schools like Penn State’s Penelope Hocking, this is a polished class and teams wanted to add depth, and many have done just that.
They’ll need that depth when regulars leave for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this summer, which is why not only have many goalies been picked, but some teams like the Kansas City Current have essentially picked all-new defences. Hocking also saw her twin sister Iliana join NJ/NY Gotham FC to create a new sibling rivalry in the league. It was an exciting, record-breaking draft that saw US women’s national team forward Lynn Williams traded.
Here are the full draft results:
design results
round 1
- 1. Angel City FC – Alyssa Thompson, FWD (Harvard-Westlake Prep)
- 2. Kansas City Current – Michelle Cooper, FWD (Duke University)
- 3. Orlando Pride – Emily Madril, DEF (Florida State University)
- 4. NJ/NY Gotham – Jenna Nighswonger, MID (Florida State University)
- 5. Portland Thorns FC – Reyna Reyes, DEF/MID (University of Alabama)
- 6. North Carolina Courage—Olivia Wyngate, FWD (Notre Dame University)
- 7. Chicago Red Stars – Penelope Hocking, MID/FWD (Penn State University)
- 8. Courage from North Carolina – Sydney Collins, DEF/MID (California University)
- 9. North Carolina Courage – Clara Robbins, MID/FWD (Florida State University)
- 10. Kansas City Current – Alexa Spaanstra, MID/FWD (University of Virginia)
- 11. Courage from North Carolina – Haley Hopkins, FWD (University of Virginia)
- 12. Portland Thorns FC – Izzy D’Aquila, FWD (Santa Clara University)
round 2
- 13. San Diego Wave – Sierra Narrows, DEF/MID (Stanford)
- 14. Chicago Red Stars – Grace Yochum, MID (Oklahoma)
- 15. Kansas City Current – Gabrielle Robinson, DEF/MID/FWD (West Virginia University)
- 16.Racing Louisville FC – Kayla Fischer, MID/FWD (Ohio State University)
- 17. Racing Louisville FC – Brianna Martinez, DEF/MID (Notre Dame University)
- 18. Kansas City Current – Jordan Silkowitz, GK (Iowa State University)
- 19. OL Reign – Shea Holmes, DEF (University of Washington)
- 20. Houston Dash – Sophie Hirst, MID (Harvard University)
- 21. Orlando Pride – Messiah Bright, FWD (Texas Christian University)
- 22. Houston Dash – Jyllissa Harris, DEF/MID (University of South Carolina)
- 23. Chicago Red Stars – Allison Schlegel, MID/FWD (Penn State University)
- 24. Portland Thorns FC – Lauren DeBeau, MID/FWD (Michigan State University)
round 3
- 25. Orlando Pride – Tori Hansen, DEF (University of North Carolina)
- 26. Washington Spirit—Nicole Douglas, FWD (Arizona State University)
- 27. Angel City FC – Angelina Anderson, GK (University of California)
- 28. Washington Spirit – Lyza Bosselman, GK (Gonzaga)
- 29.Racing Louisville FC – Jaydn Edwards, MID/FWD (University of New Mexico)
- 30. Washington Spirit—Riley Tanner, MID/FWD (University of Alabama)
- 31.Racing Louisville FC – Riley Mattingly Parker, MID/FWD (University of Alabama)
- 32. Portland Thorns – Lauren Kozal, GK (Michigan State University)
- 33. San Diego Wave FC – Lauren Brzykcy, GK (University of California, Los Angeles)
- 34. Washington Spirit—Lena Silano, FWD (Long Beach State University)
- 35. Kansas City Current – Mykiaa Minniss, DEF (Washington State University)
- 36. Houston Dash – Lindsi Jennings, DEF (Louisiana State University)
round 4
- 37. Washington Spirit—Civana Kuhlmann, FWD (University of Colorado)
- 38. Kansas City Current – Ella Shamburger, DEF (Vanderbilt University)
- 39. Orlando Pride – Summer Yates, MID/FWD (University of Washington)
- 40. Washington Spirit – Delaney Graham, DEF/MID/FWD (Duke University)
- 41. Orlando Pride – Kristen Scott, MID/FWD (University of Central Florida)
- 42. Kansas City Current – Rylan Childers, MID (Kanas University)
- 43. Chicago Red Stars – Sophie Jones, MID (Duke University)
- 44. NJ/NY Gotham FC – Iliana Hocking, DEF/MID (University of Arizona)
- 45. San Diego Wave FC – Giovanna Demarco, MID (Wake Forest University)
- 46. OL Reign – Natalie Viggiano, MID/FWD (University of Wisconsin)
- 47. Kansas City Current – Ashley Orkus, GK (University of Mississippi)
- 48. Houston Dash – Madelyn Desiano DEF (University of California, Los Angeles)